Children encouraged to walk to school safely
Children in Abbotsford and around Australia are being asked to walk to school this month, as part of an annual initiative aimed at encouraging families to be more active.
The national Walk Safely to School Day takes place this year on Friday May 24th. On the day, every primary school child in Australia is encouraged to walk to classes. Children should aim to get at least an hour of exercise each day to help combat obesity and health problems related to a lack of exercise.
The initiative, now in its 14th year, is also designed to help children learn more about road safety. This includes following the stop, look and listen rule, and to try to minimise traffic congestion by reducing car dependency.
Children who live close enough to school to walk are encouraged to walk the whole distance, while those who have to drive are encouraged to park at least 10 minutes away and walk from there rather than parking right next to the school gates.
Schools are also being encouraged to arrange extra activities within their community, such as a healthy shared breakfast.
Printing services have been called upon to produce promotional materials, including posters, colouring sheets and stickers with the Walk Safely to School Day logo.
This year, organisers have also developed an app for Apple and Android phones that will help families record information, such as how far they have walked and their average walking speed.
For more information, visit the Pedestrian Council of Australia website.
The national Walk Safely to School Day takes place this year on Friday May 24th. On the day, every primary school child in Australia is encouraged to walk to classes. Children should aim to get at least an hour of exercise each day to help combat obesity and health problems related to a lack of exercise.
The initiative, now in its 14th year, is also designed to help children learn more about road safety. This includes following the stop, look and listen rule, and to try to minimise traffic congestion by reducing car dependency.
Children who live close enough to school to walk are encouraged to walk the whole distance, while those who have to drive are encouraged to park at least 10 minutes away and walk from there rather than parking right next to the school gates.
Schools are also being encouraged to arrange extra activities within their community, such as a healthy shared breakfast.
Printing services have been called upon to produce promotional materials, including posters, colouring sheets and stickers with the Walk Safely to School Day logo.
This year, organisers have also developed an app for Apple and Android phones that will help families record information, such as how far they have walked and their average walking speed.
For more information, visit the Pedestrian Council of Australia website.